ACC2000: #Error in Linked Spreadsheet After Closing File in Excel

ID: Q199140

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

When you are viewing a linked Microsoft Excel table, you see #Error in all of the data fields.

If you try to edit the table at this point, you receive the following error message:

The connection for viewing your linked Microsoft Excel worksheet was lost.


CAUSE

The spreadsheet was closed in Excel, and Microsoft Access lost its established link to the spreadsheet.


RESOLUTION

To re-establish the link to the Excel spreadsheet, close and reopen the linked table in Access.


MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

  1. In Access, open the sample database Northwind.mdb.


  2. In the Database window, select the Order Details table.


  3. On the File menu, click Export.


  4. In the Export Table 'Order Details' To box, click Microsoft Excel 5-7 or Microsoft Excel 97-2000, and in the Save As Type list, click Save.


  5. On the File menu, point to Get External Data, and then click Link Tables.


  6. In the Link box, click Microsoft Excel in the Files Of Type list, and then select the Order Details spreadsheet that you created. Click Link.


  7. In the Link Spreadsheet Wizard, click Next on the screen marked Your spreadsheet file contains more than one worksheet or range.


  8. On the screen marked Microsoft Access can use your column headings as field names for your table, click First Row Contains Column Headings, and then click Next.


  9. On the screen marked That's all the information the wizard needs to link to your data, accept the default for the Linked Table Name. Click Finish. Click OK on the informational message box.


  10. Open Microsoft Excel, and then open the Order Details spreadsheet.


  11. Open the linked table, Order_Details, in Microsoft Access.


  12. Close the spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel.


  13. Switch back to the Order_Details table in Microsoft Access.


Note that all of the data fields in the linked table, Order Details, contain #Error. If you try to edit the table, you will receive one of the error messages mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.


REFERENCES

For more information about linking to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type "spreadsheets, importing or linking" in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Additional query words: 


Keywords          : kberrmsg kbinterop IsmExl5 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 13, 1999